Valentine’s Day: 30 love stories from Charlotteans

• A few weeks ago, we asked Axios Charlotte readers to send us their love stories. Y’all delivered.

Editor’s note: Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Practical magic

Many people say this about their significant others, but Rob truly is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I even wrote a list of ‘ingredients’ for my future husband in 2012 (blame it on watching “Practical Magic” one too many times) and he is everything I asked the universe for. Now I’m celebrating two years married to my best friend. — Elise

Mix tapes > missed connections

In fall of 1996, I headed north to spend a couple weeks with a friend from college. By Sunday afternoon, I was in love with her girlfriend. Grace and I became platonically inseparable, stealing time together in the early morning darkness, fearlessly exposing our true selves.

The weight of the unrequited eventually became too much, and for two years we didn’t speak. Eventually they broke up, and Grace and I reconnected through emails and mixtapes, true selves shared over dial-up connections and in bubble-wrapped song collections.

I moved to Asheville. Together, we welcomed Y2K with requited love and the proverbial lesbian U-Haul packed. The U-Haul has been to three states since, settling in Charlotte in 2015.

Our favorite memory here is simple: an aimless summer morning on The Green, watching the cranes swing purposefully overhead, the two of us just another old married couple, fearlessly sharing our true selves 22 years later. — Trish

Valentine’s proposal

We met in 1984 in San Francisco. I was in costume and in character promoting my nationally syndicated TV show, Plasticman. A comic and actor, and I proposed to her onstage on Valentine’s Day 1986.

We are now in our late 60s. Happily, successfully raising our children in Charlotte was probably the most fulfilling aspect of our Charlotte life. — Mark

Lucky in love

We met in Charlotte at a St Patrick’s Day bar crawl in 2013. Our first date was in Tuscon, Arizona. Nick was playing in a 4.5 tennis team tournament and he invited Ashley to join as his date (the rest of Nick’s team all had significant others!). He went 3-0 undefeated in his doubles matches and the rest is history. — Nick & Ashley

Blood bank cowboy

Thirty-four years ago, I was at the American Red Cross on Park Road donating blood, where my roommate worked. As I was finishing, one of the volunteers came over and placed the Band-Aid on my arm as the nurse removed the needle. I noticed he was cute. It was Western theme that particular blood drive so he was sporting jeans and boots. It was the 80s so that Urban Cowboy look was an attention getter.

As I’m crunching on my free Oreo, my roommate comes over and asks if I think the volunteer is cute. I reply yes. Unknown to me, the cute volunteer goes up to my roommate later that day and asks if I was seeing someone (I wasn’t).

By the fourth date, which was at Discovery Place, I knew he was the one for me.

There were many walks to Freedom Park for competitive Backgammon and tennis matches, burgers from Fenwicks followed by dessert next door from Ben and Jerry’s were our “go to” dates for the next year and half. In October 1990 we were married.

We remained friends with my old roommate who married a co-worked from the American Red Cross. We even raised our children together.

Now, go donate your needed blood and maybe fall in love. — Anne

High-school sweethearts

Jenn and I met and started dating in Winston-Salem in 2001 when we were in high school. We’ve had a lot of great times over the last 20 years together! We both went to UNC Charlotte in 2003, got married at the Westin Hotel in uptown Charlotte in 2010, and currently live in Ballantyne with our two kids and two dogs.

I’m a full-time engineer, but in 2018 Jenn and I started a nonprofit that helps sarcoma amputees and funds cancer research after she lost her lower right leg to sarcoma cancer.

Each year, we host a fundraiser in Ballantyne called the Pajamas All Day 5K/10K, and last year we even launched our own beer with Middle James Brewing called “Hops on One Leg”!

When we stop and reflect, on all these years in Charlotte, we are truly humbled by the community here and it feels like home. Cheers to 20 more years in the Queen City! 🍻 — Miles

Radio love

The radio station 104.7 had a singles connection where you created an audio profile based on your preferences and then you were matched with someone who you had the same commonalities. I kissed a lot of frogs before I found my prince, but June 1 we will be married 25 years! — Tammy

Queen City romance

A local and a transplant matched on Hinge in late 2017. Our first date was a Pike’s soda shop (RIP). Our second date was at Mama Ricotta’s, followed by ice skating in Uptown.

Three years later he surprised me with a fancy professional picnic in Freedom Park and popped the question. In just over a year, we will be getting married at Foundation For The Carolinas. Doesn’t get any more Charlotte than that! — Jillian

A Hallmark story

We met at Summit Coffee in Davidson Sept. 12, 2015, and went on our first date the next day. Love was almost instant as I looked into his eyes. The day of our first date started with church, then he and I walked to Napa for a lovely two-hour lunch date. Afterward he took me sailing on Lake Norman. We got married May 28, 2016!! Who knew my love would enter my life at a coffee shop? — Angela

Baby cupid

My husband and I met, dated, and married in Charlotte. Our first was date at the original Nikko’s, and we married at St. Mary’s Chapel near Uptown.

We’ve celebrated 14 Valentine’s Days here. The one that was filled with the most overwhelming and resounding love was the one we spent at Atrium Hospital eight years ago when our first son, Theodore, was born. Happy Birthday Theo! — Janet

Love at first Selwyn

I met my husband at the former Nolen Kitchen in Myers Park. It was over from the first time I saw him.

Our first date was at Selwyn Pub. We closed them down, barring our souls in hours of conversation. Even Michael Jordan walking past didn’t distract this Tar Heel from what was in front of her. We’ve been together for 12 years this year, married three, and I still can’t believe how lucky I am to have found him. — Wyn

Saturday kind of love

My partner and I had our perfect Saturday on repeat in our last town, and I was terrified we wouldn’t find that after moving to Plaza Midwood in June. It didn’t take long. Undercurrent quickly filled our coffee shop void, the Hop Shop’s music choices have become the soundtrack for some of our favorite memories (not to mention a great beer selection), and the Gear Goat upgraded our walking routes to fun bike rides around Charlotte.

We’ve been together for four years, married for one, and our new life here might be my favorite chapter yet.  — Seth

Anthropologie hijinks

We met in 2008, around winter break through a mutual friend at Howard University who encouraged us to meet because we were both heading to Charlotte.

Our first date was at Northlake Mall’s AMC to see “Quantum of Solace.” Before the movie, we walked around the mall for a bit and ended up in Anthropologie. We had just enough time to wind up bowl full of kitchen timers so they’d go off minutes after we left the store 😈😅.

Ian wasn’t anything like any other man I’d met. He was absorbing, warm, curious, funny, highly intelligent, discerning, doting. He made me feel calm and seen and pretty. I fell for him immediately. — Tina

Written by the slices

My wife, Ginny, opened her pizza restaurant in Tega Cay back in 1989. At the time, I was a single parent of four. I fed the kids dinner there at least twice a week. She always made me feel comfortable there.

One night, my 13-year-old daughter told me either I had to ask out Ginny myself or she was going to do it for me. Ginny shot me down the first time around.

Several months later, I was having lunch there with a friend and she came to the table and said “If you ask me again, I will say yes.” I stood right up and asked her what she was doing Friday after work. We will be married 20 years this May. — Bob

Lucky Lou’s indeed

I was 36, divorced and only looking for only two things when I walked into Lucky Lou’s bar: wings and beer.

Luckily fate had other things in mind when I saw a gorgeous guy I knew had to be married (he wasn’t!). We spent the night playing ping-pong, corn hole and pool. On the last shot of the game he said, “If I make this in, you take me home.” He made the shot, I took him home and the most indecent thing that happened was I lost to him in gin rummy by 25 points.

We celebrated 10 years this past December and got engaged! — Courtney

Teammates for life

My husband and I have been married for 40 years. We met at an all adult apartment complex on a co-ed softball team. He was shortstop and I was the pitcher.

Our favorite outing in Charlotte was attending the inaugural Hornets game in the original coliseum on Tyvola. We both love sports. Did I mention that he went to Alabama and I went to Auburn and we are still together after 40 years of those games? — Gena

Bonus: Gena shared some advice for long-lasting marriage with us. “Be one but don’t lose your individuality or your independence, you will still need it someday,” she said.

Blind date beauty

We met on the doorstep of the home we share today. Tiffany had just moved “back home’”to Charlotte. We were set up on a blind date. When she opened the door, my heart sank. We lost track of time at dinner. Three dates and many long conversations later it was clear she was my “one.”

“Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts was a hit at the time and became our anthem.

Married for 16 years, she is still as beautiful (inside and out) as the moment we met. — David

Family first

I spent a week in Italy with his mom before we met, or before I even knew he existed. I was studying abroad with now one of my best friends. Her mom and my now-boyfriend’s mom had come to visit. I spent the week with them and we traveled up the coast for a long weekend. We shared an Airbnb and many bottles of wine.

Fast forward almost a year later, that same best friend introduced me to her mom’s friend’s son. We’ve been together for two years now. Needless to say, meeting his family was very easy! — Abby

Sir Purr(fect for each other)

When I first saw him, back in September 1996, my heart skipped many beats. I was waiting tables at The Rheinland Haus, a beloved German family owned restaurant, and that was all she wrote!

After a few weeks of sending my subliminal “ask me out” thoughts, we went to a Panthers game for our first date which lasted about 10 hours.

We have two great sons, and many years of love behind and ahead of us. — Stephanie

Most likely to get married

My husband, Mike and I met in high school during our senior year. We didn’t know each other until we were voted senior superlatives together (prettiest and most handsome). We were married six years later in Jamaica. — Paige

Mishap to magic

I met the love of my life at our young adult group at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. I remember thinking he was so Southern, and as a northeast girl, I didn’t think we’d date.

But he took me on the most treacherous hike on Grandfather Mountain where we ended up hiking in the dark. He wasn’t sure if I would still talk to him after that, but we’ve talked every day since October 2020.

One of the best memories is ice skating at the Whitewater Center! While on the rink, out of nowhere, it started to flurry! Magical moment, to say the least. — Rebecca

Accidentally the right place, right time

She was living in the Bay Area and I was living in Uptown. We met on the 4th of July weekend at a wedding in India neither of us originally planned to attend.

We got engaged on Labor Day weekend and married on New Years Day in 2010.

Eleven years later, she is even more beautiful than the first day I met her — and she still laughs at my lame jokes. — Amit

More than beers brewing

We met at 4001 Yancey and chatted for over three hours on our first date. We both knew there was something special brewing.

After a year of walks on the greenway and rail trail, trying new breweries and restaurants, and exploring all Charlotte has to offer together, we had our one-year anniversary back at the place where it all started.

And while we were there, the couple next to us just so happened to be on their first date. It was remarkable having that flashback and seeing just how far we have grown together as a couple in one year. Sometimes it’s just so cool how certain things come full circle when you least expect it 😊 — Ian

Dog mom

I met my husband here in Charlotte in the end of 2009 when I was 21. Since then we have been inseparable.

During Covid we lost our dog Ruby, who had been part of our relationship since the beginning. In fact, he proposed to me by putting a note on her collar, asking if I would be her mommy. I still have that heart-shaped note framed and her ashes in a box.

Love never dies in this house. We have a 4-year-old son and now a quirky mini Aussie. — Ellen

Worth the wait

Our first date was May 5, 2016, and we were in love before Memorial Day. He proposed at the little water fountain park in Fourth Ward in March 2018, and we bought a house the next day! We eloped later that year in November at a vineyard in Asheville.

We were in our mid-40s with no kids, never married, or engaged, just waiting for the right one when we found each other. It took a while, and we still can’t believe it finally happened.

Every month, we play a little game of “Happy 5th, baby!” in honor of our first date. Whoever says it first wins. Wins what? Nothing but love. ❤️ — Sarah

50 years of love

We met our freshman year at University of Georgia on a double date. We were more attracted to each other than our dates, so we had our first date on April 24, 1968. We celebrated this date every year.

Our best Charlotte memory is celebrating our 50th Anniversary in 2021 with our children and grandchildren at a restaurant on Lake Norman.

We lived most of our lives in Georgia, but moved here in 2016. He is still the love of my life and I am so thankful for the years God has blessed us with. — Wanda

Covid-era romance

We met on a dating app a year and a half ago. We went on a date at 4001 Yancey and closed down the place. The next day, we went to Davies dog park so he could meet my pup, Harley. After that, we were inseparable.

Covid sped up our relationship faster than I could have ever imagined. We moved in together after eight months, now have another pup and are looking to take the next steps toward settling down. In so many ways Covid disrupted our lives negatively, but it also changed my life for the better! — Sam

You make my dreams

We got engaged within six weeks of meeting in college. For our first Valentine’s Day, we saw a Hall & Oates concert at our college.

We have both worked in television and enjoyed some wonderful and glamorous perks over the years. We raised two sons, lived in three states and about to move to a fourth to follow our first grandchild.  — Laura Lynn

Uptown girl (and boy)

In December 2012, my college friend texted me, “Come to Dixie’s. There is someone here I want you to meet.” Hmm. Things were going well for me at Dandelion Market that evening, and the “long” trek down 7th St. to Dixie’s seemed too far. But I did it, and that’s when I met Chris for the first time. He was uh, not sober.

Our second meeting was New Year’s Day at Icehouse in South End. I sat beside him to watch the Gamecocks play Michigan and he ignored me, the entire time. Later I learned he was so embarrassed about our first meeting.

Finally, our third meeting was upstairs at RiRa’s on another typical 5th St. Uptown evening. This time was different. He apologized for our first two meetings and asked me on a date.

Two days later, we met for a Thai lunch, and I completely fell for him. Within two weeks we were dating, frequenting many Uptown restaurants because he lived at the Avenue and I lived at the Ivey’s.

This December will be 10 years since our first meeting. And while we are now married, with our first child on the way, and living in Cotswold, our fondest memories will always be tied to Uptown. — Amanda

(L)Ovens Auditorium

Jack and I met backstage at Ovens Auditorium in 1965. We’ve been married 55 years. A few years ago we got a backstage tour when “WICKED” was in town, and were able to stand on the same spot again. — Julie